


Always and Forever

by Okaasan59



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 02:52:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10151711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Okaasan59/pseuds/Okaasan59
Summary: Duo recalls a Valentine's Day memory.





	

Always and Forever

 

Eight-year old Aiko sat at the kitchen table with Daddy's "special box." She was glad whenever he let her look through it and she took extra care with the things inside. The box was made of some kind of wood and it smelled old. The smell reminded her of the church that Daddy brought her to sometimes. Daddy always said that you were supposed to be quiet and "spectful" in church. Aiko wasn't sure, but she figured "spectful" had something to do with knowing that a thing was important. Going to church was important to Daddy. He was always happier afterwards. So Aiko tried her best to sit quietly when they went. Daddy's wooden box and the things it held were important, too. Carefully, Aiko reached inside to bring out the objects, one by one.

Two twisted pieces of metal. One white. One black. Aiko was never sure what they were from. They didn't look very important and she wasn't sure why her Daddy wanted to save them. She decided she didn't like them very much. 

Next she pulled out what looked like a gauze bandage. She knew what they looked like `cause when Jeremy Roemer at school hurt his arm the teacher had put a bandage like this on. This bandage was different, though. It had some brown stuff on it that made one end stiff. Yucky, she thought.

This is pretty, Aiko thought. It was a purple ribbon, like the ones Daddy wore to tie his braid. This one looked kind of old, though, and one end was frayed. Maybe Daddy just puts old stuff in here, she thought.

She pulled out a piece of red paper and unfolded it.

"Oh, Daddy! I remember this! It's the valentine I made for you and Otousan!"

Duo looked up from the meal he was preparing at the kitchen counter.

"It sure is, baby."

Aiko squinted and turned the lop-sided heart in her hand as she studied it critically. "It's kind of crooked. I guess I couldn't cut good then."

Duo pulled out a chair to sit next to her. He took the valentine in his hand and studied it. 

"I think it's perfect."

Aiko sighed, "You always say that, Daddy."

Duo smiled at her. "And I'm always right."

Aiko rolled her eyes at him in a gesture so like Heero's that Duo felt his heart clench. His smile didn't falter, though.

Looking past some other papers, Aiko spotted something in the bottom of the box.

"What's this, Daddy. It looks like a candy heart."

She held up a small purple heart between her chubby fingers.

"It is a candy heart," Duo explained. "But not just any old candy heart. That one is special."

Duo smiled down at his daughter. "Would you like to hear the story about it?"

Aiko nodded, her blue eyes wide as she carefully placed the heart on the table.

Her Daddy looked up, then closed his eyes and smiled as he remembered.

 

// "Hey, Heero, aren't you glad that I talked you into buying some candy?"

Heero just grunted but he continued to pick up the small hearts, popping them in his mouth, one at a time.

"No, Heero, you can't eat them without reading them." Duo scooted closer to his lover until they were side by side on the couch. He picked up a candy from the handful he held. 

"See. This one says `Be Mine.'" He threw it in his mouth and crunched it.

Heero looked at him skeptically. "They taste the same whether you read them or not."

Duo looked at him in exasperation. "But it's just not as much fun!"

Heero shrugged and Duo bent to look for another candy. Sifting through his pile he came up with one he thought was appropriate.

"Cool Dude." Duo snorted and pushed the candy heart into Heero's mouth.

Heero looked down at the candies he held. He passed up `Go Girl' and `Fax Me' before he found the one he wanted.

Turning to Duo he held up the candy. "Lover Boy," he smiled and shoved the heart between Duo's lips.

Duo laughed as he bit down on the sweet.

"My turn," Duo looked through his candy and presented one to Heero.

"Love You."

Heero smiled as he accepted the candy, pausing to suck on Duo's fingers.

The next one was an easy choice.

"Always," Heero whispered, offering the sweet to Duo's open lips.

Duo almost groaned when he felt Heero's fingers against his lips. He reached out with his tongue and tasted the tips, sweetened now with candy.

Blinking, Duo turned back to the pieces in his hand. Selecting one he turned to Heero.

"Forever," Duo sighed as he leaned towards his lover and placed the candy between his lips.

"Mmm," Heero closed his eyes and sat back, then opened them again to study his palm. He started to set a purple heart aside, hesitated, then picked it up. Turning to face Duo he reached out and grabbed the long-haired boy's empty hand. He placed the purple heart in Duo's palm and closed his fingers around it.

"What?" Duo asked, his confusion evident on his face.

"This one is too important to eat," Heero said, his voice slightly husky.

Duo searched Heero's eyes, then opening his fingers he looked down at his palm. The letters on the purple heart were clear. "Marry Me."

"H-Heero?" Duo's eyes were wide as he met the intense gaze of his lover. "Do...do you mean it?"

Heero nodded, his unwavering gaze never leaving the violet eyes in front of him.

"Oh..." Duo looked down at the pieces he held in his hand, shuffling through them quickly, a grin spreading across his face.

"Duo?" Heero was started to look a little worried.

"I don't think they have one that says `Hell, Yes'," Duo turned to him, "so I guess I'll just have to say it. Hell, YES!" He threw his arms around Heero and they tumbled down on the sofa, candy hearts flying everywhere. All except the purple one, held safely in Duo's hand.//

 

Aiko giggled. "That was a silly story, Daddy. Did Otousan make you clean up all that candy?"

Duo ruffled her hair. "We cleaned it up together, munchkin. Except for this special one, that I kept."

Aiko started carefully replacing the contents of the box. She looked over at the refrigerator where Daddy had put the valentine she made for him. It was red with a lot of glitter on it. Daddy liked pretty things. She thought of the valentine she was working on up in her room. It was a special one for Otousan. It was a white heart with clouds and rainbows colored on it. Aiko liked clouds. She was sure that heaven was full of white, fluffy clouds. 

"Daddy do you think that Otousan will know that I made a valentine for him, too?"

Duo swallowed before smiling at his daughter, "Sure, baby. I'm sure he knows."

Aiko nodded, her eyes suddenly holding a wisdom beyond her years. 

"You know, Daddy, these hearts remind me that Otousan will always be with us inside our hearts. Always and forever."

Duo gathered his daughter close and breathed in the sweetness of her scent.

"You're right, baby," his voice was husky. "Always and forever."

The end.


End file.
